My Journey into Stem Cell Treatment

My journey began in 1997. My vast experience as a plastic surgeon performing liposuction for body contouring and fat injections to enhance body parts, I became intrigued with the regenerative ability of fat cells.

We were trained in medical school to believe that we were born with a finite (fixed) number of fat cells, and they would enlarge or shrink depending on weight gain or loss. Liposuction and cosmetic surgery of the abdomen theoretically should yield a permanent result. I found that patients who continued to gain weight, due to an increase in calories, and a lack of exercise, regenerated the fat cells that were removed. This was contrary to the science at the time.

I proposed a research study to the Ohio University College of Osteopathic Medicine, where I was a Clinical Professor in Plastic Surgery. The research proposal was to study lipogenesis (the regeneration of fat cells) after liposuction. I had a pathologist who would microscopically exam samples of the my patient”s fat cells prior to liposuction, 3 months after liposuction, and 1 year after liposuction. I also had a radiologist who would perform MRI scans of my patients liposuction sites at the same intervals. We would also measure the patients’ total body fat at these intervals and then together, look at the data to determine and quantify the existence of lipogenesis (the regrowth of fat cells).

Unfortunately, my research proposal was rejected because it was not Primary Care Related.

I have continued to hold a belief that Fat Cells had a unique ability to regenerate.

Fast forward to 2010. Research began to trickle with the idea of Adipose (Fat) Derived Stem Cells.

I was a faculty member at the St Louis University Medical School cadaver course in Cosmetic Surgery when I had the opportunity to meet other surgeons interested in Stem Cells. Dr Mark Berman, from Beverly Hills, gave a presentation on Stem Cell Treatment the following year, and the year after. I was intrigued with his presentation and decided to pursue my interest.

A close friend of mine and colleague, Dr Michael Kellis, had returned from a meeting where Stem Cell Treatments were the hot topic.

I researched the Stem Cell Treatment options available at the time, and decided to visit Dr’s Berman and Lander, in Rancho Mirage, Calif. Their company, Cell Surgical Network, was committed to scientifically collaborate a network of physicians committed to treatment and research. They had developed a patient funded research model that was scientifically sound and overseen by an independent IRB (investigational review board).

Dr Kellis and I decided to commit to their network in October of 2013. Since that time, we have labored to establish the OHIO STEM CELL TREATMENT CENTER. The procedure itself, is labor intensive, and our team at OSTTC will be ready to begin Treatment early 2014.

This journey, which began in 1997, has found it’s legs again. My expertise in liposuction and fat cell treatment has lead me to this point. I have never been more excited about any single dimension to my practice of 20 years than this.

Stem Cells are the future of the medical treatment of disease and aging. We are early adopters of this technology. The possibilities for the treatment of many diseases are endless.

I do have a healthy skepticism, as a physician, that this is the Wonder Treatment for everything, but at the same time, we are on the cusp of major medical breakthroughs.

I am cautiously optimistic, that using your own body’s Adipose (Fat) Derived Stem Cells, can help you to improve a multitude of ailments. Given a few years of data collection, we will be able to quantify results for Medical Publication.